Detection and quantification of acidic drug residues in South African surface water using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Bhekumuzi P Gumbi; Brenda Moodley; Grace Birungi; Patrick G Ndungu

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.10.105

Detection and quantification of acidic drug residues in South African surface water using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Chemosphere. 2017 Feb:168:1042-1050. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.10.105. Epub 2016 Nov 1.

Authors

Bhekumuzi P Gumbi¹, Brenda Moodley¹, Grace Birungi², Patrick G Ndungu³

Affiliations

¹ University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Chemistry and Physics, Private Bag x 54001, Durban 4000, South Africa.
² Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Private Bag 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.
³ University of Johannesburg, Department of Applied Chemistry, Doornfotein, Private Bag 17011, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa. Electronic address: pndungu@uj.ac.za.

PMID: 27814951
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.10.105

Abstract

A method was optimized for derivatization, separation, detection and quantification of salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, nalidixic acid, ibuprofen, phenacetin, naproxen, ketoprofen, meclofenamic acid and diclofenac in surface water using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For most of the acidic drugs, recovery was in the range 60-110% and the percent standard deviation was below 15% for the entire method, with limits of detection ranging from 0.041 to 1.614 μg L^-1. The developed method was applied in the analysis of acidic drugs in Umgeni River system, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. All of the selected acidic drugs were detected and quantified, their concentration in Umgeni River system ranged from 0.0200 to 68.14 μg L^-1.

Keywords: Acidic drugs; Derivatization; GC-MS; Method validation; Surface water; Umgeni river.

MeSH terms

Acids, Carbocyclic / analysis
Aspirin / analysis
Environmental Monitoring
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Nalidixic Acid / analysis
Naproxen / analysis
Phenacetin / analysis
Rivers / chemistry
South Africa
Water / chemistry
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Acids, Carbocyclic
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Water
Nalidixic Acid
Naproxen
Phenacetin
Aspirin